Rest assured, Lew Perkins is looking forward to the end of a federal investigation and the completion of an independent review into the operations of his ticket office and Williams Educational Fund — and not just because he’s embarrassed or because he holds himself accountable.

Perkins just wants to fix the problems and move on.

“I’m not one for tolerating illegal things,” the Kansas University athletic director said Tuesday evening, during a public interview at the Dole Institute of Politics. “I try to play everything by the book. I’m not perfect. I don’t pretend to be perfect. But when we have people who have violated the law, who have done things illegally, we just don’t tolerate that, and we’re going to deal with that straight up.”

Perkins’ appearance came as part of the institute’s Leadership and Globalization in Sports series. About 150 people — KU athletes, administrators and other interested observers — attended, and several were given the opportunity to ask questions after Perkins had been interviewed for about an hour by Bill Lacy, the institute’s director.

Aside from the investigation and independent review — previously disclosed by Kansas Athletics as involving tickets to sporting events in which KU participated — Perkins touched on a number of topics:

• On whether televised KU sporting events would continue to be supported by advertising, or move more toward pay-per-view: As advertising revenues continue to dwindle, he said, other options likely will gain favor, especially given KU’s location within television markets with relatively few households. “I think pay-per-view is something we’ll see more and more of,” he said.

• On the NCAA expanding the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament to 96 teams: “I think it’s a foregone conclusion that that’s going to happen,” he said, although coaches should be careful not to rely on just “making the tournament” for job security. “Coaches think we’re dumb,” Perkins said, of guys who think being the 94th or 95th team in is golden. “That’s not going to save your job.”

• On halting the “arms race” of spiraling coaches’ and administrators’ salaries, especially in relation to those on the academic side: “Sometime, the bubble’s going to break, it’s going to burst,” Perkins said, but curbing salaries isn’t all that simple. College presidents want to win, he said, and often don’t hesitate to approve large salaries. At least for now. “There will be a time when the money runs out,” Perkins said.

Asking the “arms race” question was Neal Malicky, former president of Baldwin-Wallace College, a Division III school in Ohio, who suggested that athletic directors or the NCAA could get together and put a stop to salary buildup.

“It’s out of control,” said Malicky, who also served previously as dean and acting president of Baker University.

After his talk, Perkins mingled with people in the crowd, including Malicky, former KU Chancellor Robert Hemenway and soon-to-be-NBA player Cole Aldrich.

Perkins already had told the crowd about the five internal audits, conducted by outside auditors, which had not uncovered the problems in his department that had drawn the attention of federal investigators. He’d also explained how he often comes into work wanting to “do A, B, C, D and E” to address those problems, but instead holds back, preferring to wait for the review to be complete.

“It’s very painful to go through, but I believe we’re going to be a better athletics department,” he said, leaving the institute. “We’re going to find out what our weaknesses are, and we probably wouldn’t have learned that. And when we find out, we’re going to be better.

Comments

Lew is the man, no matter what the whiny Simons family or the mentally unstable LJW peanut gallery would have you believe.

College athletics is a huge business, like it or not, and being a wily CEO is the only way to keep up, especially when the KU athletic department is already working from a disadvantageous position (population, facilities, etc.).

How about Lew pays a fair value for his courtside throne. Thats a million dollar seat he sits in each game . Is it claimed as a income benefit ? taxed ? Has he made his donations to the williams fund to justify his seat placement ?

Lew , we already pay to view , cable fees to companies who pay your tv rights contracts , who sell advertising on the networks , who pay the NCAA , who pays you. Just how much frigging money do you really need ?

Perhaps if you didn't have so many tickets going out your backdoor and to all of the cronies you could make even more.

Keep on truckin', Lew. Fix the ticket scandal and toss a minor player under the bus for a little jail time and a fine. You are doing a fine job otherwise. We need you to coordinate and promote KU athletics.

so where should he sit during games?
I am not a "minion"...as alumni, i just don't have a problem with the job he is doing. those that support him are doing just that. how do personal attacks on us help you make any point?
did you lose a courtside seat because of Lew? I didn't.
As far as Joe College...sinks was wrong and knew it. Are you telling me the "Cole 45" shirt was not about Cole...#45? Sinks SWORE it was not. Sinks got what he deserved.

NOT with a federal judge sitting on his lap...INCHES from the head coach! His face shows up more on TV than the coach..which he thrives on. Personally, I really don't care where he sits, I am more concerned about what he allows to transpire, right under his nose, in what used to be a respectable organization. Not necessarily the wealthiest, but a very ethical one for the most part.

Sinks definitely could have done things differently and had a better end result, but Lew was personally insulted by his actions and decided to take him down and did so. His ego just could not have withstood losing this battle.

Yeah, she will be 'raising' money alright! The cause is a good one, we just don't need to forever be associated with a hard-core porn ho. Surely Keegan could have found someone with a little integrity and respect to have put their name on this......she is doing it to further her career and to ensure that her name will not be forgotten in Lawrence...and to make sure she gets season tickets to next year's bb games.....oh, I forgot, when the feds are done with them, they probably won't risk that kind of crap again!!!